Following a difficult few weeks in the office, work has found some stability. I am busy, but there is not a major urgency to respond to disasters as has been the case over a fortnight ago. So, how do I feel? I feel better every passing day and knowing that things are happening for me, even if progress does appear to be somewhat slow. Perhaps slow is not the ideal world, the results of my work are going to take some time to bear fruit. As I have said on several occasions, I am here for the long haul. Thursday was a difficult day, and while I masked this in my entry a few days ago, perhaps I should let you know how I felt, leaving the office. Before I do that, let me first explain myself. As I pull into the car park, I automatically, lower the volume to the CD I am listening to a soft whisper on the stereo. Then, finding a space, or alternatively blocking in about four vehicles, I stop and switch off the engine. For a few minutes, I ponder my mood. Trying to predict how I will feel as I enter my car, at the end of the working day. In doing so, I select the most appropriate track to compliment my mood, for a few minutes after 6pm. Sure, sometimes I get it wrong and my judgment comes into question. Thursday morning, was a case in point. I had been listening to my Drive Time album and was actually tracking back from the end of the album. In a rush, to just select something, I choose a song, which I knew was highly inappropriate, but left it selected and headed in, to get on with my day. You have to realise, that I do not recall the song I have pre-selected until the moment I switch on my stereo, so it was a bit of a shock to discover myself listening to a song, I had not heard for some time. Even with a recent appearance on The Games (which my friend Nav, was hooked on!) and upcoming appearance on Hit Me Baby One More Time on the other side. Yes, I freely admit, I was listening to The One & Only by Chesney Hawkes. In an attempt to recreate the opening titles, from Doctor Hollywood, I opened both the front windows, to let the air rush in, as I put my foot down on the gas pedal, and pushed the volume up on the CD player. For a split second, I drifted far away and was for the next few minutes at least, somewhere else, if in my mind only. Nothing like a song to lift you up. Nothing like a moment deemed by others (perhaps someone who may have seen this act) as out of character. On Friday morning, I had selected Republic – “Ready To Go” as my Friday night tune, to head off into the weekend. This was closely followed by Unbreakable by Michael Jackson. My reaction when an upbeat number by the King of Pop is to begin clicking my fingers, tap my feet, and even attempt to sing along (very badly). My emotions are stirred in a way that cannot be achieved by any other artist. For a few minutes at least, you feel invincible. Why oh why, was the album not marketed as it should have been in 2001? This could have had an amazing video and been a major chart hit across the world. 🙁 It is nothing for me to moan to the suits at Sony all I can do is sit back and enjoy the music. Hoping that one day, my idol will return.

Watching the final installment of the Paxman Interviews, I felt rather let down. Howard looked like a flawed feeble leader, having to resort to pieces of paper for a quote. If the quote was so important, and covering the core policy of immigration, you feel he would have the courtesy to memorize it. Jeremy, summarised the feeling of the nation at the end of the interview in a quick intersection, “Your going to need a miracle to win this election.” Michael of course, was far more reassured in his position and that of his party. He was not going to admit defeat now, on live television, thirteen days before an election. Don’t worry, only a few weeks and you can be put out of your misery. Then, the Tory party can elect a credible leader with the potential to hold the office of Prime Minister.

Finally, it took five weeks for Tony Christie to appear live on Top Of The Pops and not a moment too soon. Perhaps they would only allow such a performance, once he had broken a string of records and got himself the first number one based on both single sales and legal downloads. I would like to stress the world legal there. Thank you.